The Penwith Mining District - Wheal Friendship

OS Explorer Map 103: Grid reference SW553316

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Wheal Friendship is an old copper mine located half a mile northeast of St Hilary in south west Cornwall. It was at work before 1815 and closed some time after 1855. It lies near the Prosper United Mines and also just to the west of Wheal Guskas. Unsurprisingly at times throughout its lifetime it was worked with both of its neighbours.

The mine worked 8 lodes from numerous shafts. Main Lode (also known as Friendship Lode) was developed from Andrew's Shaft, Alexander's Shaft, Wellington's Shaft, Drue's Shaft, John's Shaft, King's Shaft, Trevaskis Shaft and Gundry's Shaft.
Martyn's (otherwise known as Pryce's) Lode was worked from Caroline's Shaft, Lobby's Shaft, Ellery's Shaft, Buckett's Shaft, Richard's (Engine) Shaft and Boundary Shaft.
Hancock's Lode was cut by Hancock's Shaft, Bryant's Shaft and Richard's Shaft. Other lodes include Kestal Lode, Pressure (or Trenow) Lode and the two caunter lodes known as Honey Lode and Knotwell's Lode.

As to output, Wheal Friendship raised 17,080 tons of 9.5% copper ore and 14 tons of black tin between 1815 and 1819 and also between 1845 and 1855.

For those of you with possibly a little more time to explore, once you've done 'the tourist bit', why not explore Cornwall's industrial heritage through its Tin and Copper Mines or learn more from my Cornish Bookstore